RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 500 SHOWN OF 918
Most population lost, US metro areas · 2000
US metro areas that lost the most residents from the 1990 census to 2000, by raw count of people rather than percentage. Pittsburgh, PA leads at -26,695. 918 metro areas qualify in total. New York carries 6 of the top 25 entries.
Flip the list · Most population gained, US metro areas →All statesAll rankings
RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS –
USUnited States281,421,906+1,534,999–
UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS
Frequently asked
Which metro area has the lowest population change?
Pittsburgh, PA ranks #1 with -26,695 (2000 Decennial Census).
What are the top 5 metro areas by population change?
Pittsburgh, PA, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY, Utica-Rome, NY, Johnstown, PA, Binghamton, NY.
How many metro areas are in this ranking?
918 metro areas qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 Decennial Census data.
How is population change measured?
Change in the number of residents from the prior decennial census (raw count, not a percentage). Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census.